# Herdbell: every agent, one place

> Herdbell is a tiny Mac menu bar app that keeps an eye on Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and Antigravity. When an agent needs you, a shortcut opens a bar right over your work to approve, reply or hand the chat to another agent.

Canonical: https://herdbell.com/
Last updated: 2026-11-04

## What it does
- Watches Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, Cursor, Google Antigravity from the menu bar. You never sign in to anything, and Herdbell never calls an AI model.
- **Approve or deny** a command an agent wants to run in one click. Risky commands ask twice, and if you are away the agent asks you itself after 5 minutes.
- **Reply in a tap** with quick replies, or type your own.
- **A glow, not a ping:** your pointer lights up in the colour of what is waiting.
- **Every session in one list:** agent, project, status, what it is doing and for how long, with every command, edit and error in order.
- **Context Bridge:** hit a usage limit? Herdbell reads the chat on your Mac and writes a short handoff (the goal, what is done, what is open, the files and the commands) to paste into another agent. It runs on your Mac and never calls an AI model, so the handoff is only as complete as the chat and project contain.
- **Connect in one click.** Herdbell finds the agents on your Mac and connects through their own hooks. Your settings are backed up first.
- **Lives in the menu bar.** It shows in the Dock only while its dashboard is open.

## How it works
1. Your pointer glows when an agent needs you.
2. Your shortcut opens the bar right where you are: a search bar, with every agent one arrow away.
3. Allow a command, send a reply, or hand the chat to another agent. Then Herdbell gets out of the way.

## Pricing
Pay once, own it: no subscription, lifetime updates, a 7-day money-back guarantee. Each key works on as many Macs as you bought. Requires macOS 14 Sonoma or later.

| Plan | Price |
|---|---|
| 1 Mac | $9.99 (regular $24.99) |
| 3 Macs | $26.99 (regular $69.99) |
| 5 Macs | $44.99 (regular $109.99) |

The first 20 buyers get the launch price, then the regular price applies. 14 of 20 launch spots are left.

[Buy Herdbell](https://herdbell.com/#pricing) · [Download for macOS](https://herdbell.com/download/Herdbell.dmg) (the app stays locked until a license key is activated)

## Privacy and performance
- **No account login.** No signing into AI providers and no API keys to paste.
- **No cloud backend.** Agent monitoring happens entirely on your machine.
- **No extra AI costs.** Herdbell never calls a model, so it never uses your tokens.
- **Lives in the menu bar.** It sits in the menu bar, and shows in the Dock only while its dashboard is open.
- **Minimal footprint.** Native code with very little background CPU and memory use.
- **Launch at login.** Optional. Turn it on once and forget about it.

## FAQ
### Do I need to log in to my AI accounts or add API keys?
No. Herdbell connects to the agents already installed on your Mac through their supported local hooks. It never asks for credentials or API keys.

### Which agents are supported?
Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, Cursor, and Google Antigravity at launch. More integrations are planned.

### Will Herdbell mess with my agent configurations?
No. Herdbell keeps your existing settings and backs them up before adding its hooks. You can disconnect an agent at any time.

### How does Context Bridge work without an AI model?
It pulls the goal, completed work, decisions, issues, and next steps out of your local session transcript and project files, then formats them as a continuation prompt. How complete the prompt is depends on what that data contains.

### Does any of my data leave my Mac?
No. Session data stays local. Herdbell uses the network only to validate your license and check for updates.

### How much does Herdbell cost?
Herdbell is a one-time purchase with no subscription: $24.99 for 1 Mac, $69.99 for 3 Macs or $109.99 for 5 Macs, with lower launch prices for the first 20 buyers (see Pricing). It includes lifetime updates and a 7-day money-back guarantee.

### What do I need to run it?
A Mac running macOS 14 Sonoma or later, and at least one of Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, Cursor or Google Antigravity installed. Herdbell finds them for you during setup.

### Will it slow down my Mac or my agents?
No. Herdbell is a native Mac app that uses very little CPU and memory (about 1% of a core when idle in our testing). It only listens to the small messages your agents already send, and never calls an AI model, so it uses none of your tokens.

### What happens if Herdbell is closed?
Nothing breaks. Your agents carry on with their own prompts, as if Herdbell were not installed. When you open it again it picks up where you left off.

### Can I approve commands from Herdbell for every agent?
For Claude Code, OpenAI Codex and Cursor, yes: Allow and Deny work in Herdbell. For Google Antigravity, Herdbell shows the request and you approve it in Antigravity itself. Replying when an agent finishes works for all four.

### How does the license work on more than one Mac?
A key works on as many Macs as you bought (1, 3 or 5). To move it to a new Mac, deactivate it on the old one in Settings → License. Herdbell checks your license about once a week, with a 14-day grace period if you happen to be offline.

### How do updates work?
Herdbell checks for updates automatically and installs a new version when you say so. Every update is signed, and only updates signed by Herdbell are accepted. Updates are free for life.

### How do I disconnect an agent or delete my data?
On the Agents page, turn an agent off and Herdbell removes only its own hooks from that agent's settings. In Settings, Delete all my data forgets every chat, the activity log, attachments and drafts. Your settings and license stay.

### Can I get a refund?
Yes. Every purchase has a 7-day money-back guarantee. If Herdbell isn't right for you, email support@herdbell.com within 7 days of buying and you get a full refund.

### Is it a subscription?
No. You pay once and own it.

## Related
- [Home](https://herdbell.com/)
- [Pricing](https://herdbell.com/#pricing)
- [How to approve Claude Code permissions without switching windows](https://herdbell.com/blog/approve-claude-code-permissions)
- [Claude Code vs Codex vs Cursor vs Antigravity: how to monitor all of them in one place](https://herdbell.com/blog/claude-code-vs-codex-vs-cursor)
- [What to do when you hit a Claude Code or Codex usage limit](https://herdbell.com/blog/usage-limit-handoff)
- [How to get notified when Claude Code finishes or needs your approval](https://herdbell.com/blog/get-notified-when-claude-code-finishes)
- [Skipping Claude Code permissions is risky: a safer way to move faster](https://herdbell.com/blog/claude-code-dangerously-skip-permissions-alternative)
- [How to run multiple Claude Code sessions at once and keep track of them](https://herdbell.com/blog/run-multiple-claude-code-sessions)
- [How to know when OpenAI Codex finishes a task or needs your approval](https://herdbell.com/blog/codex-notifications-when-task-finishes)
- [Cursor agent waiting for approval? How to answer it from anywhere](https://herdbell.com/blog/cursor-agent-approval-notifications)
- [How to continue a Claude Code session in Codex or Cursor](https://herdbell.com/blog/continue-claude-code-session-in-another-agent)
- [Claude Code hooks, explained: what they are and what you can build](https://herdbell.com/blog/claude-code-hooks-explained)
- [A Mac menu bar app for AI coding agents: what to look for](https://herdbell.com/blog/mac-menu-bar-app-for-ai-coding-agents)
- [What is Herdbell?](https://herdbell.com/blog/what-is-herdbell)
- [AI coding agent safety checklist: 10 rules before you let it run commands](https://herdbell.com/blog/ai-coding-agent-safety-checklist)
- [How to stop Claude Code and Codex asking for permission every time (safely)](https://herdbell.com/blog/stop-ai-coding-agent-asking-permission)
- [How to monitor Claude Code and Codex usage from your Mac menu bar](https://herdbell.com/blog/monitor-claude-code-usage-mac-menu-bar)
- [Herdbell alternatives: 5 ways to keep track of your AI coding agents](https://herdbell.com/blog/herdbell-alternatives)
- [Herdbell vs a DIY notification script for Claude Code](https://herdbell.com/blog/herdbell-vs-notification-script)
- [Menu bar popup vs a session-manager dashboard: which fits how you work?](https://herdbell.com/blog/menu-bar-popup-vs-session-manager-dashboard)
- [Best ways to know when your AI coding agent needs you in 2026](https://herdbell.com/blog/best-ways-to-know-when-ai-coding-agent-needs-you)
- [How to use Claude Code and Codex together on a Mac](https://herdbell.com/blog/use-claude-code-and-codex-together)
- [AI agent permission approvals, explained](https://herdbell.com/blog/ai-agent-permission-approvals-explained)
- [Best Mac apps to monitor multiple AI coding agents in 2026](https://herdbell.com/blog/best-mac-apps-to-monitor-ai-coding-agents)
- [Support](mailto:support@herdbell.com): support@herdbell.com